2016 Aquatic Invasive Species Management Report Upper Saranac Lake, NY

Transcription

1 2016 Aquatic Invasive Species Management Report Upper Saranac Lake, NY Submitted by: Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY Submitted to: Upper Saranac Foundation P.O. Box 564, Saranac Lake, NY Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

2 Thank you to all contributed to a successful year combatting invasive species. Special thanks to Guy Middleton for his tireless effort, USF board and members and to anyone directly or indirectly involved with keeping Upper Saranac Lake a healthy, sustainable natural resource now and for future generations. Introduction 2016 was the second year of a 3 season contract for Upper Saranac Lake and the ninth consecutive year of AIM harvesting of aquatic invasive species. In this report we will review data compiled throughout the year and open discussion for what works, is working and possible changes or modifying plan development. Methodology The initial plan for 2016 involved a three member dive crew for 16 weeks starting June 6 th and carrying through the week of September 19 th. A small deviation from this plan saw the final 16 th week be reserved for variable-leaf milfoil (VLM) in Fish Creek Campground. AIM, working in collaboration with the USF and the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith s College, initiated a four-week pilot program to determine practicality and feasibility of a harvesting program for Fish Creek Campground. The intent was to demonstrate the degree of the infestation and the viability of management to support funding perspectives. AIM harvesting principles largely remained the same using the existing plan that has proven to be highly effective: Locate, survey and harvest EWM buoys dropped by Guy using GPS coordinates Harvest all known locations that have exceptional growth characteristics using reliable data from previous years Repeated re-harvests of these areas throughout the season Survey and harvest all other areas that are considered secondary but still pose a threat Explore areas of the lake that may be harbor unexpected growth This was also the second year Plant Tally Counts were in effect. These tally sheets are highly valuable in showing areas of growth and comparing them to years past. However, since plant counts do not translate to EWM weight (i.e. 1 bag = ~25lbs.) easily it would be essential to incorporate means of weighing actual bags using hand held analog/digital scales at the end of each week. This will allow for both plant numbers and accurate bag weights. Over the past 9 years, AIM and Upper Saranac Lake have evolved one of the most comprehensive data sets in order to efficiently predict, monitor, harvest and record data of EWM levels lake wide. It is important to note that EWM harvesting is an unpredictable science and can only be supported by extensive data acquired through years of collection and referencing this data for future harvests. Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

3 Upper Saranac Lake Plant Totals 2015 EWM 2016 EWM 2016 VLM 1 Back Bay Saranac Inn Point - Marlboro Club College Row Tommy's Rock - Dry Island North Basin - North Markham Point Goose Island - Rockpile Green Island - Rockpile Green Bay - Moss Rock Point South Markham Point - Square Bay Square Bay Divot - Point North of Buck Island Little Square Bay 1,327 1, Buck Island Buck Island Bay Whitney Point - Bottleneck Bay - Butternut Point Saginaw Bay Fish Creek Bay Fish Creek Channel Fish Creek Pond - Spider Creek Pork Bay Narrows West Narrows East Birch Point - Gull Point Gilpin Bay Eagle Island - Rockpile North Gull Bay Pelky Bay Gull Bay Connector Bungalow Bay South Gull Bay Deer Island Doctors Island area Birch Island area Bull Point to Sekon Point Bartlett Carry Bay Sekon Point to South of Wenona Chapel Island East South Basin to Bartlett Carry Bay entrance Corey's Island South Basin Totals Eurasian Water Milfoil Plant total 5,074 6,278 Variable Leaf Milfoil Plant Total 2, Reduced EWM numbers Increased EWM numbers Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

4 2016 Harvest Totals Plants Little Square Bay Saginaw Bay South Basin Buck Island South Gull Bay North Basin - North Markham Point Sekon Point-S of Wenona Buck Island Bay Square Bay Fish Creek Bay Whitney-Butternut-Bottleneck Pork Bay Gilpin Bay Fish Creek Ponds North Gull Bay Deer Island Chapel Island Square Bay Divot - Point N of Buck Island East South Basin to Bartlett Carry Entrance Doctors Island Area Eagle Island Rockpile Goose Island-Rockpile (#6) Narrows West Narrows East Corey's Island Birch Island Area Pelkey Bay Birch Point-Gull Point Bungalow Bay College Row Goose Island -Rockpile (#7) Bartlett Carry Bay Green Bay-Moss Rock Point Saranac Inn Point-Marlboro Club Fish Creek Channel ,427 Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

5 2016 Plant Count Percentages All others 27% Little Square 23% Square Bay 3% Buck Island Bay 4% Sekon Pt-S. of Wenona 5% N. Basin-N. Markham Pt 5% S. Gull Bay 7% Saginaw Bay 10% South Basin Buck 9% Island 7% 2015 Plant Count Percentages Doctors Island 3% S. Gull Bay 5% Fish Creek Pond- Spider Creek 6% Gilpin Bay 5% Sekon Pt-S. of Wenona 8% All others 21% South Basin 8% Little Square 26% Buck Island 9% Pork Bay 9% Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

6 2016 Harvest by Month - Sites over 100 plants June July August Sept. Season Total Little Square Bay ,427 Saginaw Bay South Basin Buck Island South Gull Bay North Basin Sekon Point to S of Wenona Buck Island Bay S Markham Point-Square Bay Fish Creek Bay Whitney-Bottleneck-Butternut Pork Bay Gilpin Bay Fish Creek Pond-Spider Creek North Gull Bay Deer Island Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

7 A steady drop in bags totals per year have produced a plateau effect in which the existing plan and level of effort could very well sustain these consistent totals into the future. Bag Totals by Year Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

8 EWM Monthly Harvests North Basin June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

9 EWM Monthly Harvests Little Square Bay (above) Square Bay (right) Denotes Variable Leaf Milfoil June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

10 EWM Monthly Harvests Saginaw Bay (above) South Basin (below) June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

11 Buck Island, Buck Island Bay (left) Whitney Point-Bottleneck Bay- Butternut Point (below) denote Variable Leaf Milfoil June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

12 Fish Creek Pond (above) Fish Creek Channel (right) denote Variable Leaf Milfoil June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

13 Fish Creek Bay (above) Pork Bay & the Narrows (right) denote Variable Leaf Milfoil June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

14 Gilpin Bay (top) South Gull Bay (bottom right) Sekon Point to South of Wenona (bottom left) June-Blue July- Green August-Red September- Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

15 North Gull Bay (above) South Basin (right) June-Blue July- Green August-Red September- Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

16 Season Harvest Overview June-Blue July- Green August-Red September- Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

17 Season Harvest Overview June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

18 Season Harvest Overview June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

19 Season Harvest Overview June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

20 Season Harvest Overview June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

21 Season Harvest Overview June-Blue July- Green August-Red September-Yellow Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

22 Fish Creek Harvest Data Contributed by the Upper Saranac Foundation 2016 Fish Creek Week Date Bags 25 total lbs payment 1 8/15-8/ ,100 AWI Rapid Response 2 9/19-9/ ,150 week 16 from main lake 3 9/26-9/ ,625 USLA for $5,000, Adirondack Crowd Funding $1, /3-10/ , USF $5,000, Adirondack Crowd Funding $1, tons % Site Acreage Cleared Acres Cleared Total 6.13 Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY

23 Recommendations for 2017 Results in 2016 report the following conclusions: EWM plant counts have increased from 5,074 to 6,278 for a 23.73% increase The 2016 growing season created great potential for heavier growth compared to previous years VLM levels are of concern as plants now have been found beyond Fish Creek Bay Harvesting in Fish Creek Campgrounds must continue to thwart the advance of VLM into Upper Saranac Lake The current harvest plan represents the best possible management strategy for both EWM and VLM Continuing on into 2017 should see no major changes towards the monitoring and harvesting of EWM and VLM on both Upper Saranac Lake, Fish Creek Bay, channel and Fish Creek Campgrounds. The data being collected is in its infancy and will continue to be highly useful in order to combat this new invasive to Upper Saranac Lake. Since the system is working now, meaning 15 weeks in the main lake and 1 week supplementing efforts in Fish Creek Campground, it is recommended to stay this course. However, it is important to note that EWM levels will fluctuate depending on normal and abnormal growing conditions. To put it simply, we must not become complacent to the fact that EWM levels are at a very successful management phase and that they will continue to stay in this realm. There may be a need to expand harvesting efforts if EWM levels begin to rise outside of existing harvesting parameters but at this time it is considered not to be the case and the effort being put forth is showing that these levels are being managed very effectively. Variable-leaf milfoil levels in Fish Creek Campgrounds are on the rise and a continued, and possible expanse, of operations are recommended in order to prevent one invasive from taking the place of another. Luckily, we find that VLM is less aggressive than EWM and is more of a nuisance species. That being said, it is still wise to begin heavy harvesting in the campground area either early season (i.e. before Memorial Day), late season (after Labor Day) or more favorably both. The quicker VLM levels in Fish Creek Campground can be eliminated down to a maintenance phase the easier it will be to monitor and continuously re-harvest this area in years to come effectively putting the brakes on its spread. Currently, AIM s tentative start date on Upper Saranac Lake is June 1 st Aquatic Invasive Management, LLC. 52 Burt Lane Au Sable Forks, NY